Kenosha County Human Services committee approves 2026 divisional budgets, confirms several appointments

Kenosha County’s Human Services Committee met in October to review the county’s proposed 2026 human services budgets, approve divisional budgets, and confirm several board appointments.

Tammy Capito, of the human services finance team, summarized the package and said, “We will start on the summary page. We are looking for a levy decrease of 1 point just under 1,400,000.0 or 6.33 percent.” The committee then voted to approve each divisional budget separately and carried several appointment resolutions for presentation to the full county board where required.

Why it matters: Human services is a major portion of the county executive’s overall budget. The committee’s actions set staffing levels, grant-funded positions and levy impacts that will affect nursing-home operations, children and family services, behavioral health, workforce programs and other county services in 2026.

Major budget highlights and changes

- Brookside Nursing Home (proprietary fund): The committee approved a budget that includes a planned census increase (from about 136 to 144), new and reclassified positions, and a $500,000 transfer from Brookside revenues back to the general fund. Capito told the committee Brookside and Willowbrook together are projected to add about $1.8 million to reserves, with an estimated combined positive balance of roughly $450,000 after the transfer. The budget assumes higher Medicaid and Medicare daily rates than 2025 in some lines and includes succession-planning pay adjustments for retiring staff.

- Willowbrook assisted living (24-bed facility): The committee approved a budget that shows a projected $120,000 increase to Willowbrook reserves. The Willowbrook manager position is reduced and oversight will be provided by a Brookside resident services manager; no resident rate increase was included for 2026 after a 7% increase in 2025.

- Office of the Director: Approved…